 | The Brothers |  |
SCENE VI.
Enter HEGIO, GETA conversing at a distance.Hegio.
Good heaven! a most unworthy action, Geta!
Can it be true?
Geta.
Ev'n so.
A deed so base
Sprung from that family?—Oh Æschinus,
I'm sure this was not acting like your father.
Demea,
behind.]
So! he has heard about this Musick-Girl,
And is affected at it, tho' a stranger,
While his good father truly thinks it nothing.
Oh monstrous! wou'd that he were somewhere nigh,
And heard all this!
Hegio.
Unless they do what's just,
They shall not carry off the matter thus.
Geta.
Our only hope is in you, Hegio.
You're our sole friend, our guardian, and our father.
The good old Simulus, on his death-bed,
Bequeath'd us to your care. If you desert us,
We are undone indeed.
Hegio.
Ah, name it not!
I will not, and, with honesty, I cannot.
Dem.
I'll go up to him.—Save you, Hegio!
Hegio.
The man I look'd for.—Save you, Demea!
Dem.
Your pleasure!
Hegio.
Æschinus, your elder son,
Adopted by your brother, has committed
A deed unworthy of an honest man,
And of a gentleman.
How so?
Hegio.
You knew
Our friend and good acquaintance, Simulus?
Dem.
Ay, sure.
Hegio.
He has debauch'd his daughter.
Dem.
How!
Hegio.
Hold, Demea; for the worst is still to come.
Dem.
Is there aught worse?
Hegio.
Much worse: for this perhaps
Might be excus'd. The night, love, wine, and youth
Might prompt him. 'Tis the frailty of our nature.
—Soon as his sense returning made him conscious
Of his rash outrage, of his own accord
He came to the girl's mother, weeping, praying,
Intreating, vowing constancy, and swearing
That he would take her home.—He was forgiven;
The thing conceal'd; and his vows credited.
The girl from that encounter prov'd with child:
This is the tenth month. —He, good gentleman,
Has got a Musick-Girl, heav'n bless the mark!
With whom he means to live, and quit the other.
Dem.
And are you well assur'd of this?
The mother,
The girl, the fact itself, are all before you,
Joining to vouch the truth on't. And besides,
This Geta here—as servants go, no bad one,
Nor given up to idleness—maintains them;
The sole support of all the family.
Here take him, bind him, force the truth from him.
Geta.
Ay, torture me, if 'tis not so, good Demea!
Nay, Æschinus, I'm sure, will not deny it.
Bring me before him.
Dem.
aside.]
I'm asham'd: and what
To do, or what to say to him, I know not.
Pamphila,
within.]
Ah me! I'm torn in pieces!—Racking pains!
Juno Lucina, help me! save, I pray thee!
Hegio.
Ha! Is she then in labour, Geta?
Geta.
Yes, Sir.
Hegio.
Hark! she now calls upon your justice, Demea!
Grant her then freely, what law else will claim.
And heaven send, that you may rather do
What honour bids! But if you mean it not,
Be sure of this; that with my utmost force
He was my kinsman: we were bred together
From children; and our fortunes twin'd together
In war, and peace, and bitter poverty.
Wherefore I'll try, endeavour, strive, nay lose
My life itself, before I will forsake them.
—What is your answer?
Dem.
I'll find out my brother:
What he advises, I will follow, Hegio.
Hegio.
But still remember, Demea, that the more
You live at ease; the more your pow'r, your wealth,
Your riches, and nobility; the more
It is your duty to act honourably,
If you regard the name of honest men.
Dem.
Go to: we'll do you justice.
Hegio.
'Twill become you.
Geta, conduct me into Sostrata.
[Exit with Geta.
This is the second instance in our author of the outcries of a woman in labour: a circumstance not easily to be reconciled to modern notions of decency, though certainly considered as no indecorum in those days. I shall not defend the practice; but cannot help observing, that allowing such an incident, Terence in the present instance makes a most pathetick and oratorical use of it.
Quod mihi de hâc re dederit consilium, id sequar. Madam Dacier rejects this line, because it is also to be found in the Phormio. But it is no uncommon thing with our author to use the same expression or verse in different places, especially on familiar occasions. There is no impropriety in it here, and the foregoing hemistich is rather lame without it. The propriety of consulting Micio, or Demea's present ill-humour with him, are of no consequence. The old man is surprized at Hegio's story, does not know what to do or to say, and means to evade giving a positive answer, by saying that he would consult his brother.
| The Brothers | |